Rare birds 'running out of places to go'

The study has seen scientists scaling the country's peaks in search of the dotterel and the snow bunting.

Both species breed only on the highest mountain tops of Scotland and therefore could be affected by changes in habitat, climate and abundance of prey.

Many species may adapt to climate change by moving north and in some cases further uphill. This has prompted concern that those already limited to the highest, coldest conditions, may have nowhere else left to go in the UK.

The study is looking at current populations of dotterel and snow bunting to establish whether there have been changes, and if further research and conservation effort is needed.

Found most commonly in the Cairngorms, the dotterel has not been surveyed across the country for more than a decade.

The population of dotterel was estimated at 630 breeding males in 1999. National surveys were conducted in 1987-88 and 1999. The 2011 survey is the third in this series.

Some of Scotland's highest mountains are also the preferred breeding location of the very rare snow bunting, the most northerly breeding songbird on earth.

Scotland represents an edge of their breeding range, and it is believed the estimated population may stand at as little as 50 breeding pairs.

They are a scarce breeding species in the UK, and are on the The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' "Amber List", meaning they have "unfavourable conservation status" in Europe.

Mark Eaton, RSPB principal conservation scientist, who is leading the survey, said: "This research could shed light on the fortunes of two of our mountain species. Both birds breed in some of the highest parts of the country, and in some of the harsher conditions.

"Will their numbers be affected by changes to their habitat? Have the recent wetter and warmer summers impacted on numbers?

"These are just some of the things we want to learn, so in the coming months we will be analysing our findings in the hope of building a clearer picture of dotterel and snow bunting populations in the UK."

Andy Douse, Scottish Natural Heritage senior ornithologist, is encouraging walkers to report any sightings of the mountain birds to help with the survey.

"Dotterel and snow bunting are both fascinating birds, but we are far from having a complete picture of how they're faring in Scotland in recent years.

"This survey should make all the difference."

Anyone spotting the birds is asked to report the sightings, along with the date and location, to [email protected].

Dotterel winter in North Africa and return to their breeding grounds on the highest mountains of Scotland in April to May.

Small flocks of dotterel, known as 'trips', may also be seen on lower hill tops as the birds migrate north in the spring.

Numbers of snow buntings can be found in winter in Scotland on salt marshes, dunes, farmland and mountain grasslands. The species can also be found wintering on the English coast.

Most return to breeding grounds in Iceland and Scandinavia, but a few remain to nest in Scotland on the highest mountain tops, often favouring rocky corries and areas where snow patches lie into the spring and summer.Snow bunting: visitor from the Arctic

Snow buntings are sparrow-sized birds which breed around the Arctic, from Scandinavia to Canada, Alaska and Greenland, but migrate to the UK in the winter.

They arrive in this country from late September and leave in February and March. The birds build their nests in rock crevices on bare mountain slopes or rocky shores, and lay four to six eggs.

In summer, males have all white heads and underparts contrasting with black wing tips, which helps them blend into landscapes of snow and scree.

In flight, flocks of snow buntings have been described as resembling drifting snowflakes.

Dotterel: persecuted for its plumage

Dotterels were once found widely all over Britain. They breed across upland England and Scotland, and large flocks appear on migration.

They were persecuted for sport, for their plumage – their feathers were prized by fishermen for making trout flies – and their numbers dropped during the 19th century.

The dotterel is smaller and more compact than its more common relative, the golden plover. It is also unusual in that the adult female is brighter than the male, an indication of the species' role-reversal in raising young.

The brightly-coloured females lead in courtship before leaving the smaller, drabber males to incubate the eggs and raise the young.